Schools

Top 10 Schools for Environmental and Energy Law

In 2014, Law Street Media released its first set of law school rankings, in response to the changing legal education industry. Law Street Specialty Rankings are a detailed resource for prospective law students as they consider the many law schools across the country. You’ll notice some differences this year, as we return to the categories we first ranked in 2014. This year, we’ve changed the way we do our methodology slightly, to reflect feedback from our readers and the law school community. We’ve also redesigned our look, to make it easier to navigate and compare various schools. But as always, Law Street Specialty Rankings are built to blend the quantitative and qualitative in a way that accurately highlights the top law schools based on specialty programs.

1. University of California, Berkeley, School of Law: 93 Points

Jobs: 17/20

Berkeley has a strong record of providing its students with post-graduation job placements. Additionally, the school is home to an environmental law clinic, allowing students to practice while furthering their studies.

Classes: 23/25

Berkeley offers students interested in environmental law the opportunity to choose from a large selection of courses and seminars, which include “Water Law” and “The Law of Hazardous Waste.” Students can also gain practical research and professional experience through the law school’s Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment.

Networking: 15/15

UC Berkeley offers a number of seminars and events for students to take advantage of, including a discussion about racial and economic disparities in environmental law and a panel about environmental law careers at the state and local level.

Extracurriculars: 15/15

Berkeley Law offers multiple organizations for students interested in environmental or energy law. In addition to the Environmental Law Society, students interested in advocacy or social justice can join the Students for Environmental and Economic Justice group. Those interested in journal opportunities can submit articles to the Ecology Law Quarterly.

Location: 13/15

Berkeley received a favorable score in the Location category because of its proximity to cities like Oakland and San Francisco, which offer great opportunities for aspiring lawyers.

Other Rankings: 10/10

UC Berkeley’s law school earned a perfect score in this category because of its consistent placement at the top of other organizations’ environmental law rankings.

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.